1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Spanish Language
How to Count to 10 in Spanish

Children sometimes learn how to count to 10 in a foreign language merely because it's fun to do so. But knowing the numbers can also be quite practical when traveling or shopping.

Difficulty Level: average      Time Required: 10 minutes


Here's How:
  1. To say "one," say "uno" ("OO-no," same as the name of the card game, rhymes with "Juno").
  2. To say "two," say "dos" (like a "dose" of medicine).
  3. To say "three," say "tress" (except that the "r" is pronounced with a flap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth}.
  4. To say "four," say "cuatro" ("KWAH-tro," but again the "r" has a distinctive sound that is unlike English's).
  5. To say "five," say "cinco" ("SINK-oh").
  6. To say "six," say "seis" ("SAYSS," rhymes with "trace").
  7. To say "seven," say "siete" (roughly "SYET-tay" with the first syllable rhyming with the Russian "nyet").
  8. To say "eight," say "ocho" ("OH-cho," rhymes with "coach-oh").
  9. To say "nine," say "nueve" (roughly "NWEHV-ay," with the first syllable rhyming with "Bev").
  10. To say "ten," say "diez" ("dyess," rhymes with "tress").

Tips:
  1. Review a Spanish pronunciation guide, or listen to the numbers spoken if you can.
  2. Note that in a sentence, "un" ("oon," rhymes with "tune") and "una" ("OON-ah," rhymes with "luna,") are often used to mean "one," just as we often use "a" or "an" to mean "one."

Related Features:

  • http://spanish.about.com/blsoundclips.htm
  • http://spanish.about.com/msub14.htm
  • http://spanish.about.com/library/clase/blintroduction.htm
  • http://spanish.about.com/msub16.htm

Explore Spanish Language

More from About.com

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Spanish Language

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.